Tapout clothing – The history of Tapout

Just because the shirt fits on you, doesn’t mean you fit the shirt. Wearing TapouT clothing won’t make you a great MMA fighter, but some of the best in the MMA arena are already proudly wearing the TapouT logo.

Fighters like Kimbo Slice, Tyson Griffin, Dan Henderson, and dozens more have a T-shirt line at TapouT.

Tapout Logo

The TapouT logo, which has become the name in authentic MMA wear, has been around for quite a while. Started out by two of the major players in the MMA world, the Mask and Punkass (Charles Lewis Jr., and Dan Caldwell) in 1997, the company had a bit of a slow start on its way to success.

In 1998, selling shirts from the back of a car, the company grossed about $30,000 – a far cry from the over $100 million that the company would earn in 2008. These two entrepreneurs turned a small T-shirt company into something that every MMA fan wants to wear.

What made the brand so successful? Authenticity, timing, and American spirit.

By creating a product that represented the energy and attitude of MMA, and then using the profits from the company to sponsor up and coming talent, the TapouT team was able to demonstrate that not only do they know the people in MMA – they know how to make them look good.

With an interest in promoting their line, as well as the MMA as a sport, the Mask and Punkass joined up with the sarcastic clown SkySkrape (Tim Katz) to develop a series for the Versus network called TapouT.

The reality series follows the guys as they search for more talent to put their clothing on – and dominate the octagon.

The TapouT line had a major tragedy last March when the Mask was killed as he was racing his Ferrari in Newport Beach, CA. But his legacy continues, as the company has developed health centers, fitness equipment, new talent outlets, like Aggression MMA in Canada, as well as adding more fighters to their impressive stable.

In a sport where authenticity is everything, it’s not hard to figure out why these guys are successful. “Mask said it best: It’s more than just putting on a T-shirt. To us it’s a lifestyle.”

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